Looking Back and Ahead: A Local View on Mallorca's Growth

On site, laptop on my lap and occasionally barefoot on the living-room floor, I followed the 'Website Relaunch' project. It wasn't a big headline moment but a series of small decisions: which CMS fits our multilingual content, how to structure over 1,000 articles sensibly, and how to ensure the site works equally well on an old Android and the newest iPhone. We thought about who reads us in the morning—on the bus, at the beach, at the office—and implemented a responsive design. Around half of our visits now come from mobile; that was the engine behind many changes. Technology is not neutral: load times affect whether someone stays. That's why we optimized images, set up caching, and made texts clearer. There were days when we thought a small tweak would be enough—and then discovered a layout issue on a tablet we had never seen before. You make mistakes, you test again, you sometimes curse. But the reward is tangible: users report they find articles more easily and that the pages feel cleaner. And the small bonus when a comment arrives and someone writes 'Thanks, that is what I was looking for.' Those are the moments that show the effort was worth it.

On site, laptop on my lap and occasionally barefoot on the living-room floor, I followed the 'Website Relaunch' project. It wasn't a big headline moment but a series of small decisions: which CMS fits our multilingual content, how to structure over 1,000 articles sensibly, and how to ensure the site works equally well on an old Android and the newest iPhone. We thought about who reads us in the morning—on the bus, at the beach, at the office—and implemented a responsive design. Around half of our visits now come from mobile; that was the engine behind many changes. Technology is not neutral: load times affect whether someone stays. That's why we optimized images, set up caching, and made texts clearer. There were days when we thought a small tweak would be enough—and then discovered a layout issue on a tablet we had never seen before. You make mistakes, you test again, you sometimes curse. But the reward is tangible: users report they find articles more easily and that the pages feel cleaner. And the small bonus when a comment arrives and someone writes 'Thanks, that is what I was looking for.' Those are the moments that show the effort was worth it.

A network doesn't form overnight. This year we worked on bringing local businesses together: small boutique hotels, winemakers, interior designers and service providers. The figure '3,000 members' sounds big, and yes, we are proud of the breadth—but more important is how the collaboration works. I remember a meeting at a small finca near Binissalem where two winemakers started talking and planned a joint tasting the next morning. Moments like that show that networks are more than advertising: they create connections. Our daily reach rose in high season to over 3,000 visitors per day at times; combined with magazine readers and social-media followers, that results in solid visibility. Instead of presenting numbers alone, we try to connect this audience purposefully: events, joint campaigns, a newsletter with a local focus. One goal remains clear: attract visitors who respect the island. That's why we deliberately address businesses that work sustainably or maintain traditional crafts. That way not only the network grows, but also the quality of offers for locals and guests.

Online shops and local products are a topic close to my heart. This year we expanded our shop page: small designers from Palma, ceramists from the north and olive oils from near Llucmajor found a place in the assortment. I have a personal favorite: a hand-printed linen bag with a small, unobtrusive island motif—perfect for the weekly market. In parallel we are working on booklets with a clear focus: a health & wellness guide, a property special and yes, an unusual idea that is now taking shape—a list of the 101 remarkable wines of Mallorca. Such formats require research and the willingness to try new things: blind tastings, conversations with winemakers, checking vintages. Online allows us to make small manufactories more visible, while offline longer reports can dig deeper. For the future I hope that even more local producers will take the step online—with realistic expectations, good photography and honest stories. That attracts readers, brings buyers and strengthens the island's economy.